Vacuum cleaner nozzle

ABSTRACT

Vacuum cleaner nozzle equipped with an air inlet which opens when the nozzle is lifted by its handle. When the nuzzle gets stuck in something it can be lifted by its handle whereby the air inlet opens, air is let in, the suction decreases and the nozzle gets unstuck.

The vacuum cleaner is a common cleaning tool. Its function is to suck in air with such velocity that dust and debris is brought with it. The air is filtered and returned while the debris is filtered off and collected in the vacuum cleaner. To collect dust and debris in a good way the air is sucked in through a nozzle. The design of this nozzle is of great importance for the function of the vacuum cleaner and a large number of different models have been developed. They are adapted for different purposes such as vacuum cleaning on smooth floors, on fluffy carpets or in difficult to reach nooks and corners. The inventiveness and the marketing of different products are almost overwhelming.

A special problem that can occur during vacuum cleaning is that loose carpets or other objects become stuck at the nozzle and are brought with it so that further vacuum cleaning is hampered or made impossible. To avoid this many vacuum cleaners are equipped with a motor control or a valve that can be opened so that the air flow through the nozzle can be regulated down minimizing the risk for blocking. The drawback of this is that the cleaning efficiency decreases when the air flow decreases. To constantly adjust the air flow to optimum is in the long run impractical.

In accordance with the present invention this problem can be solved so that air flow and dust collection capability can be kept high without the nozzle becoming stuck in a way that hampers further vacuum cleaning. The invention is based on the spontaneous reaction of the one who is vacuum cleaning when the nozzle tends to get stuck, namely to try to lift the nozzle from the surface being vacuum cleaned. With conventional equipment this usually will not help. What has got stuck is just lifted with the nozzle. In accordance with the following invention the nozzle is however so designed as to open a new pathway for the air when it is lifted. A large part of the air flow will then go through this pathway. The suction against the object that has become stuck will decrease and the object will come loose. The procedure can without effort or trouble be repeated many times over so that for instance a thin table cloth can be vacuum cleaned in situ.

The invention is exemplified in FIGS. 1-5, where

FIG. 1 shows a simple embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a more sophisticated embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 an example with three alternative positions and

FIG. 5 is a closer description of the alternatives in FIG. 4.

A simple embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. The vacuum cleaner nozzle (1) is maneuvered by means of a handle (3) which simultaneously constitutes a suction tube and conveys the extracted air to the vacuum cleaner. When the handle (3) is lifted the port (2) opens and a large part of the air flow to the vacuum cleaner now goes this way. The suction against the object thereby decreases and the nozzle becomes unstuck. The device functions completely intuitively. The more you lift the handle (3), the less the suction will be. FIG. 1 a shows the nozzle (1) during normal operation with the port (2) closed. FIG. 1 b shows the nozzle (1) in an uplifted position with the port (2) open. The hinge at 4 can be made from movable parts or, as in FIG. 1, from elastic material such as rubber or polymer. The hinge (4) is designed so that the port (2) opening area becomes suitable in uplifted position.

A disadvantage with the simple design shown in FIG. 1 is that the angle between the handle/suction tube (3) and the nozzle (1) is fixed in normal operation. A more advanced design is shown in FIG. 2. There the angle between the handle (3) and the nozzle is variable and adjusts itself to the circumstances. In FIG. 2 a normal vacuum cleaning is shown and in FIG. 2 b is shown how an air port (2) is opened when the nozzle (1) is lifted by means of the handle (3). The handle (3) is connected to the nozzle by means of a connecting link (4). This is hollow and simultaneously constitutes an air duct between the nozzle (1) and the handle (3). The connecting link is movable around an axis at 5. At 6 there is a bending joint and at 7 a swiveling joint. During normal operation (FIG. 2 a) the connecting link (4) lies in a downward position in the nozzle. The joints at 6 and 7 allow the angle between the nozzle (1) and the handle (3) to vary. When the nozzle (1) is lifted by means of the handle (3) the connecting link (4) rotates around the axis at 5 and a port (2) opens so that the suction effect decreases. This is shown in FIG. 2 b.

In FIG. 3 another example of a design according to the invention is shown where the angle between the suction tube and the nozzle is variable. FIG. 3 a shows the nozzle (1) in normal operation. The nozzle (1) is connected to the handle (3) by means of a t-tube (8) which is recessed into the nozzle (1) and conveys air from the nozzle (1) to the handle (3). As the t-tube (8) can rotate in its recess in the nozzle (1) and as there is a swiveling joint at 7, the angle between the handle (3) and the nozzle (1) is variable. When lifting by the handle (3) (see FIG. 3 b), the t-tube (8) is lifted up from its recessed position in the nozzle (1) and the two ports (2) open and reduce the suction. At the underside of the t-tube (but not visible in the figure) another pair of ports are also opened in towards the nozzle (1). In uplifted position the nozzle (1) hangs in the straps 9, the lengths of which are adapted to give suitable port area and reduction of the suction.

When describing the present invention it may be of advantage to separate between two different parts of the vacuum cleaner nozzle. One part is the one that during vacuum cleaning is in contact with the object to be vacuum cleaned. In this text it is called the suction part and has the designation 13 in FIGS. 1-5. The other part of special interest is the part that connects the vacuum cleaner nozzle with the tube or hose that conveys the extracted air to the vacuum cleaner. In this text that part is called connection part and has the designation 12 in FIGS. 1-5. Between the suction part and the connection part there is an air duct which conveys the air from the suction part to the connection part. To, when need arises, reduce the airflow that goes through the suction part and thereby reduce the suction against the object being vacuum cleaned, according to the present invention one or several ports or valves are opened that create an opening between this air duct and the surrounding. Through this opening air flows to the vacuum cleaner without passing through the suction part. The flow of air through the suction part thereby decreases.

The essence of the invention is that the nozzle and its connection to the handle is designed so that an opening which reduces the suction is formed when the nozzle is lifted by its handle. This makes the reduction to occur intuitively and automatically when one lifts. The number of possible designs to accomplish that within the scoop of this invention is very large and only a small number of examples can be shown here.

In FIG. 4 one design is shown where a large opening is formed when the nozzle is lifted by its handle. When lowering the handle again there are two alternatives. Either the handle is moved in one direction along the surface to be vacuum cleaned. The opening is then completely closed and further vacuum cleaning can proceed with full suction. Alternatively the handle is moved in the other direction and the opening is made smaller, but it is not completely closed. A certain smaller open area remains and further vacuum cleaning can proceed with reduced suction. Change to full suction is easily accomplished by lifting followed by landing in the other direction. The three different possibilities are shown in FIGS. 4 a, 4 b, and 4 c. FIG. 4 a shows normal operation. The handle (3) is connected to a lid (10) which fits against the suction part (13) and provides passage for air from this to the handle/suction tube (3). At 6 there is a bending joint and at 7 a swiveling joint which make it possible to vary the angle between the nozzle (1) and the handle (3). FIG. 4 b shows how the lid (10) is removed from the suction part (13) when one lifts by the handle (3). Thereby an opening (2) is formed reducing the suction. The suction part ends up hanging in two connecting link arms (11) of which only one is visible in the figure. FIG. 4 c shows how by lowering of the nozzle (1) the lid can be made to land against the suction part so that a small opening (2) remains so that further vacuum cleaning can proceed under reduced suction. When the landing is once completed and one alternative thereby has been chosen, this alternative will remain in operation until the nozzle is once more lifted. When the nozzle is in a lowered position it can be pulled and pushed in different directions without this changing the air inlet.

In FIG. 5 the different alternatives are shown in a simplified and sectioned fashion. In FIG. 5 a is shown how the lid (10) lies lowered against the suction part (13) so that no opening is formed between them.

FIG. 5 b shows how by lifting, the lid (10) lifts from the suction part (13) so that a large opening is formed between them. The suction part (13) now hangs from the connecting link arms (11). FIG. 5 c shows how one by lowering the nozzle (1) can make the lid (10) end up in a position so that a smaller opening (2) remains. This smaller opening can be enlarged by lifting the vacuum cleaner nozzle in its handle. It can also be completely closed by first lifting the vacuum cleaner nozzle by its handle and then lowering it during simultaneous pulling in the correct direction along the surface to be vacuum cleaned. The design shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 use one connecting link arm (11) on each side to keep the suction part (13) connected to the lid (10). In uplifted position this means that the suction part does not have to be parallel with the lid. If one wants to ascertain such parallelity or some other determined guidance one can use two connecting link arms at each side. 

1. Vacuum cleaner nozzle incorporating a connection part (12) that connects to a suction tube, that by use connects the vacuum cleaner nozzle to a vacuum cleaner, and a suction part (13), that by vacuum cleaning is in contact with the surface that is to be vacuum cleaned, characterized by that the suction part (13) and the connection part (12) are movably arranged in relation to each other so that the connection part (12) is arranged to get into a first end position which is obtained when the connection part is in a lowered position resting against the suction part (13) and a second end position which is obtained when the connection part (12) is in an uplifted position, and that an air inlet (2) between the connection part (12) and the suction part is arranged to be opened or enlarged when the connection part (12) is moved from its first to its second end position.
 2. Vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1 characterized by that the air inlet (2) is arranged to close completely when the connection part (12) is lowered towards the suction part (13).
 3. Vacuum cleaner nozzle according to claim 1 characterized by that it is so arranged that lowering the vacuum cleaner nozzle against the surface to be vacuum cleaned during simultaneous pulling in one direction along this surface makes the connection part (12) go to such a lowered end position that the air inlet (2) is completely closed, while lowering towards the surface to be vacuum cleaned during simultaneous pulling of the vacuum cleaner nozzle in the opposite direction along this surface makes the connection part (12) go to such a lowered end position that the air inlet (2) is only partially closed. 